Naxal attack: Two Special Task Force (STF) jawans were killed and four others injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast by Naxalites in Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh, police said on Thursday. The incident occurred on Wednesday night in the Tarrem area as a joint team of security personnel was returning from an anti-Naxalite operation in the forests near the junction of Bijapur, Sukma, and Dantewada districts, a police official said.
Personnel from the STF, District Reserve Guard (DRG) - both units of the state police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and its elite unit CoBRA were part of the operation. It was launched on Tuesday following intelligence inputs indicating the presence of Naxalites from the Darbha and West Bastar divisions, as well as Military Company No. 2. "Two STF constables -- Bharat Sahu, resident of Raipur, and Satyer Singh Kange, of Narayanpur district -- were killed in the blast triggered by Naxalites while four other personnel sustained injuries," he said.
The police official further said that reinforcements were swiftly deployed to the area following the incident, and the injured personnel were evacuated for medical treatment. The injured jawans will be airlifted to state capital Raipur for further medication, he added.
CM Vishnu Deo expresses grief
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed grief over the incident and said the sacrifice of the jawans will not go in vain and the fight against Naxalism will continue till the menace is eradicated. CM Sai in a post on X said, "Received the sad news about the martyrdom of 2 STF jawans and injury to 4 jawans in an IED blast carried out by Maoists in Tarrem area of Bijapur. I pray to God for the departed souls to rest in peace and for the speedy recovery of the injured jawans".
"Naxalites have become frustrated by the operations being carried out by the state government to eliminate the menace and are resorting to cowardly acts. The martyrdom of the jawans will not go in vain. Our fight will continue till the end of Maoism," he said.
As many as 139 Naxalites have been gunned down by security forces in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh so far this year, according to police.
12 Naxals killed on Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border
At least 12 Naxals were killed in an encounter with police in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district. Several automatic weapons were recovered from the Naxals. The security operation went on for at least six hours.
The encounter took place between C-60 Maharashtra Police Party and Naxals in the forest between Chhindbhatti and PV 82 (border area of District Kanker Police Station Bande) under Police Station Jharwandi of District Gadchiroli between 1:30 pm to 2:00 pm on Wednesday.
(With PTI inputs)
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